


What Made You Change Your Mind?

by Mettespo



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Post Season 2, the missing part
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-12 11:30:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13546434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mettespo/pseuds/Mettespo
Summary: My take on what happened after the election night broadcast.





	What Made You Change Your Mind?

**Author's Note:**

> Recently I have noticed that I never published the very first fanfic I have ever written here on AO3, so I took the opportunity to polish it a little bit, ironed out some mistakes and funny phrases, but I didn't change the content. Well... I do hope you like my take on what happened after the election night broadcast.
> 
> Please be kind - As I said, it's the first!

**What made you change your mind?  
**

Finally the election show was over.

Will had been highly concentrated during the whole time, despite being on an adrenalin high for the last hours.

He had thought he had messed it up for good earlier that night – firing MacKenzie, telling her that the ring was a prank... But then she had said „Yes" to his proposal! Now he couldn't wait to get out of the building to be alone with her.

He quickly went back to his office and had just started to take off his jacket to change when Mac entered the room. She smiled at him, though looking a little insecure at the same time, but before she could say anything he spoke. „Mac, let's get out of here. I can't go upstairs to the party now and do small talk; I think we need to be alone."

Mac's smile grew wider and she visibly relaxed. „I was thinking the exact same thing, I just wasn't sure if you might regret what happened earlier tonight...“ She reached out her arm. „Let's go before Charlie comes down to get us."

Will slipped back into his jacket, took her hand and quickly led her out of the office, just nodding left and right to everybody congratulating them on tonight's show and their engagement. More than one of their staffers looked like they still couldn't believe it, but every single one of them appeared to be genuinely happy for them.

Downstairs his car was already waiting, and when they finally sat down in the back he simply looked at Mac and sighed contently. „First of all, Honey: I don't regret anything! But we can talk later, you are tired, come here"

Will opened his arms and Mac slid over to lean against him, placing her arm around his waist. He lowered his face and deeply inhaled her scent - the perfume, the shampoo and... well... simply Mac, a mixture he knew so well. How he had missed it all these years and now he just wanted to cherish this moment.

He was just about to ask Mac where she wanted to go when he noticed she was drifting off to sleep already. No wonder, with all the long days and nights during the last weeks, he thought. Producing the daily show, preparing for the election coverage and then the Genoa disaster. Well, he'd rather not think about that right now... But he had been serious earlier that night when he had asked Mac if she was capable of getting through the night. He should have known that nothing could stop her from doing her job...

Proudly smiling to himself he asked Dave, his driver, to take them to his place, and when they pulled up in front of his building he softly woke her up. „Hey, sleepyhead, we're here.“

It took her a second to put everything in place, then she sat up and smiled at him apologetically. „I'm sorry, I was really tired."

Will caringly tucked her hair behind her ear. „Don't worry, I most definitely enjoyed the ride." He winked at her. „Thanks, Dave. Good night."

He opened the door, helped MacKenzie out of the car and led her to the elevators in his building. „You can lie down again in a minute."

Mac laughed quietly. „When I was embedded I survived on power naps, I'm right awake now..." She looked him straight into the eyes and he couldn't avert his, even while entering the cabin and riding up, neither one of them saying a word.

*Pling*

The elevator bell broke the spell and Will, taking Mac's hand, led her to his appartment. „Give me your coat, I'll take care of it. Just make yourself comfortable."

Mac entered the living room, looking around and again noticing how impersonal, almost sterile his place was. No flowers, no family pictures, no books or magazines on the table, no blanket to snuggle under on the couch. It nearly felt like a show flat... Heck no, even those often had homy touches to help the realtor sell it!

She walked through the room to the window front, looking at the city but not really seeing it. Lost in thought she didn't hear Will step up behind her.

„Hey" he said softly while coiling his arms around her waist.

„Mmmmh" Mac hummed and put her hands over his, leaning her head back against his chest. This was feeling so right.

Will held her tight and nestled his cheek to hers, just enjoying the moment, but then he had to ask. „What are you thinking about?"

She hesitated for a second, but knew they had to talk. „I was wondering... What made you change your mind? About me. About us."

He didn't reply at first, then he held her a little tighter and sighed. „I really _was_ a massive bag of douche all these years. I'm sorry, Mac."

She reflexively wanted to object, but he didn't let her interrupt him. „Shhh, let me finish... It was like you said: I loved you from the moment I saw you, and the longer I knew you the surer I was that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. But when you told me about Brian... I was so hurt and angry..."

Mac turned around in his arms and softly touched his cheek. „I'm sorry, Billy... I am so sorry..." Tears glistened in her eyes.

Will pulled her closer to him and kissed her on the forehead. „It's alright, Mac. You have apologized more than enough. These last years it was all me..."

For a moment they just stood there, holding each other, before he continued. „You know, at first I was so mad at you and wanted to forget all about you and our time together, but I just couldn't. I kept asking myself what I did wrong. Again and again I read the emails you had written me during the time you were with Brian and before, searching for an explanation...“

Mac moved as if she wanted to say something, but Will didn't let her. „Shhh, let me get this out... I guess the only way for me to deal with this pain was to bury it deep inside and to never let anybody else get that close to me again, so that I wouldn't risk to get hurt like this again... Well, you've seen me in action on your first day at ACN... It must have been a real pleasure working for me." He gave Mac a sad, ironic attempt of a smile. „Poor Don, poor Maggie..."

He put his finger on Mac's lips, seeing that she again wanted to speak up. „I pretended to be alright all these years. Or at least that's what I told myself, but then you came back... Even more beautiful than before and saying and doing all the right things. I just wasn't ready to forgive you yet... But even worse, just to hurt you as you had hurt me I brought all these women to the newsroom and Brian and... Oh, Mac, I'm so sorry about the ring!"

Mac swallowed hard and her voice almost failed, but then she met his eyes. „Well, I'm wearing it now." She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers as proof, before tenderly touching his cheek . „I won't pretend it didn't hurt; in fact, it almost killed me. Knowing what could have been, and that I had messed it up completely on my own... But it's okay now, Billy, it really is..."

Will took her hand with the ring he had put onto her finger just hours before, staring at it intensely and stroking it with his thumb. Then he looked up, right into her gorgeous eyes. „I really thought I blew it tonight, Mac. I can't tell you how relieved I was when you said 'Yes'..." He gently kissed her hand. „You have to know that even if I didn't buy the ring years ago, it was always clear to me that you are the one. The _only_ one."

Now Mac didn't even try to keep back the tears and she pulled him in for a sweet, tender kiss which seemed to last an eternity, putting all her love into it. But Will wasn't finished yet and he reluctantly ended it.

„Our talk tonight, in the hair & make-up room... Thinking about not seeing you again after tonight... For the first time I actually was prepared to listen and at least _try_ to understand why you went back to him...“ He took a deep breath.

„Before, all that anger was a safe zone for me. I had told myself that I hated you and I didn't even really _want_ to know your reasons for what you did. That's why I never read the emails you sent me after I broke up with you...“ Will's eyes were sad, but then he gave her a smile.

„And then you came back, and with every day we spent together I realized more and more how much I was still in love with you... By then I knew perfectly well that it was time to let bygones be bygones _here_ ", he tapped at his forehead. „But it hadn't arrived _here_ yet." His hand dropped to his heart.

Mac felt like she melted inside and took his hand in both of hers to press her lips to it. Then she looked up at him and smiled.

„Remember my first Valentine's Day at ACN? The Rudi re-enactment? When you you took me into your arms, it felt so right... At that moment I was sure we still had a chance, and that I'd just have to give you time to work through it... I didn't expect it to take that long, though..." She laughed quietly, but then she stopped and pulled him in for another soft kiss.

Will responded immediately. He deepened the kiss and let his hands slide up and down her back, pressing her against him. They were both out of breath when Mac finally ended the kiss, leaning back and giving him her typical sassy grin he loved so much. „So... Do you finally remember what that voicemail message said?"

Will chuckled, still caressing her back. „I think you darn well know what it said, Mac."

„I think I do... I love you, Billy. I love you so much."

„And I love you, MacKenzie. I always will."

Will looked deep into MacKenzie's eyes. Then, seeing nothing but encouragement, he took her hand and led her to his bedroom. Lit only by the lights of the city that never sleeps they faced each other, their hands unbuttoning their tops and their lips finding each other for a passionate kiss.

They were finally together, nothing else mattered in this moment.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

  
The next morning Will woke up feeling strangely content and relaxed, something he hadn't experienced in a long time. Then he felt an unfamiliar weight on his chest and an arm across his waist and he remembered. Mac!

He opened his eyes and there she was, fast asleep, her head on his chest and her right leg placed over his.

He just enjoyed looking at her for a while and feeling her warmth, lying completely still not to ruin this moment. But after a while he couldn't resist and gently started to stroke strands of hair out of her face, treasuring this feeling of finally being able to touch her again. How much he had missed being so close to this amazing woman all these years.

Sure enough his soft touches slowly woke his fiancée (!); her eyelids starting to flicker and her lips breaking into a dreamy smile. When she opened her eyes she needed a second to realize where she was, but then she remembered and tilted her head so she could look at him, her smile growing wider. „'Morning."

„A good morning it is, sweetheart." Will returned her smile and gently kissed her on the tip of her nose. Then he sighed. „I hate to do this, but we have to get to work soon..."

Stretching her whole body Mac grinned at him. „Actually, if I remember correctly, you fired me last night. So I guess I can sleep in today..." But instead of closing her eyes again Mac huddled up to Will even closer, kissing his chin and letting her hand explore his chest.

Will tried to hide his own grin; he knew exactly what she was up to. „Well, you want your job back? If so, you better convince me..."

Her eyes sparkled, telling him exactly how she was going to do that. And sure enough she pulled his head towards her to meet his lips with a teasing kiss, which very soon became more passionate and made them forget everything else.

The newsroom would have to wait a while for them today.

 


End file.
